Show The underpaid government worker The Senate Appropriations Committee Commit Commit- tee in Washington is undertaking a study of fede s tion Reason Reason Rea Rea- son complaints complaint By some some government workers and arid in particular their unions that federal workers are underpaid Perhaps some of the government workers in inflation high-inflation living high-living- cost Washington D. D C C. C may feel that their budgets budgets' are tight But to the average roots grass American worker and especially the small independent businessman the plight of the poor underpaid government worker is not apt to gain much sympathy Not when we hear of congressional secretaries on Capitol Hill making to a year Nor when we hear that straight-out-of-school straight youth are being hired by government agencies at what is called GS 10 GS 11 and GS 12 salary rates which translated into dollars means and per year Nor when we consider that the listed salary scales which today go as high as a year do not account for all the fringe benefits For example example example ex ex- ample the GS 16 GS 17 and GS 18 with salary tagged at also gets an additional annual taxpayer contribution contribution contri contri- contribution to hi his retirement 2835 The taxpayer also tes t Hie w work work- workers worker's rk- rk 1 ers er's life insurance Then there is the taxpayers taxpayer's contribution to his Blue Cross-Blue Cross Shield family health insurance Nor does it account for the fact that after three years of government labor the worker is given 20 days vacation called annual leave That's four solid work workweeks workweeks workweeks weeks of vacation with pay Nor does it account for another 13 workdays workdays workdays work work- days which may be taken for sick leave again agai with pay Nor does it include nine recognized Federal holidays holidays holidays holi holi- days off with pay And we could go goon goon goon on and on with many other benefits such as for example the option to join a government credit union whereby money can be borrowed at extremely low interest rates Lets Let's hope that while the Senate Appropriations Appropriations Ap Ap- Appropriations Committee is considering the rending heart-rending pleas of the poor underpaid government workers in Washington the good Senators will keep in mind min the hard working independent independent independent in in- dependent laborers back home who are paying for it all |